China Readies for a Record Number of Humanoids - The Wire China
AgiBot's A3 Ultra full-size humanoid robot on show at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, July 18, 2026. Credit:AgiBotChina's humanoid robot makers are racing to build tens of thousands. . .
AgiBot's A3 Ultra full-size humanoid robot on show at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, July 18, 2026. Credit:AgiBotChina's humanoid robot makers are racing to build tens of thousands of machines this year. The harder task will be finding enough customers to buy them. While China has already deployed hundreds of thousands of non-human industrial robots, humanoid sales are lagging. China’s two leading robot firms, Unitree and AgiBot, combined sold fewer than 11,000 humanoids last year — about ten thousand more than 2024 but still far behind deployment of other types of robots. UnitrSubscribeorloginto read the rest. Subscribers get full access to:Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else. A weekly curated reading list on China from Andrew Peaple. A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines. We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to ourSubscriptionspage for details. Includes images fromDepositphotos. comCover StoryJupiter's DescentCalifornia-based Jupiter Systems sold high-tech wall screens to U. S. military and government clients. On June 14, The Wire China revealed how Jupiter was sold to a Chinese company in 2020 without the first Trump administration’s knowledge. Now Trump is back and on the case as Jupiter teeters on the verge of bankruptcy. Q & ALily Qi on Choosing to be an AmericanThe Maryland state lawmaker talks about living through the Cultural Revolution, running for public office as a Chinese-American, and U. S. complacency. News and AnalysisThe Bargain HuntersIn China, conspicuous consumption is out and thrift is in. Some companies have figured out how to cash in on the trend. Corporate Risk Intelligence for National Security, Compliance & Due DiligenceLearn More